Jet flusher



March 10,1931. c. GJCRAMER ET AL 1,795,763

- JET FLUSHER Filed July 9. 1328 2 Sheets-Shee 1 V Vy INVENTORS A TTORMEY March 10, 1931.

C. G. CRAMER ET AL JET FLU'SHER Filed July 9, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 GINCKZLINTORS u BY M M- ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 10, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES G. CRAMER, OF PORT ARTHUR,

OF'HOUSTON, TEXAS; ASSIGNORS TO THE TEXAS YORK, N. 'Y.; AND MUNDEL URBAN,

TEXAS; CHARLES W. MELONEY, OF NEW COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE 3 ET FLUSHER Application filed July 9 1928. Serial 170. 291,870-

Our invention relates to a nozzle for use in cleanin the interior of containers, such as the steel' ruins used for holding and shipping oils.

The usual process of cleaning oil drums inp volves scouring the interior thereof with hot water or steam and a cutting fluid. The object of our invention is to provide a nozzle of improved construction adapted to facilitate this cleansing process, and the subsequent rinsing, draining and drying of the drum.

In accordance. with our invention, the nozzle embodies an elongated casing adapted to enter the filling opening of the drum, which is of restricted size, with suflicient clearance to permit drainage of the cleansing and rinsing fluids. The nozzle is provided with separate orifices for jets of fluid and hot air, the hot-air orifice being relatively large. 1

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the nozzle is provided with a suctionpipe member for insuring the" discharge of i the trapped fluid in the drum. This pipe member normally retracts within the hot-airorifice and is projected to operative position automatically when the nozzle is inserted within the filling opening of the drum.

Other objects and advantages of our invention-will appear from the following de scription of a preferred embodiment of the invention disclosed on the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevational viewof acleaning table with an inverted drum slipped over a nozzle in readiness for the cleansing process;

Figs. 2 and 3 are front and side elevational views of the nozzle, with the siphon or suction-pipe member in the retracted position;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the nozzle shown in Figs. 2 and 3, with the siphon or suction-pipe member projected to the position occupied when a drum is slipped over the upper end of the nozzle Figs. 5 and 6 are detailed cross-sectional views on the line V-V and VI-VI of Figs. 2, respectively; and

Fig. 7 is a similar view on the line VII-VII of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings, the cleaning table or rack shown in Fig. 1 comprises a latform 1 having an inclined portion 2 for holding the drum 3 to be cleaned in a tilted and the filling opening 4 is slipped over a nozzle 5 through which the cleansing and rinsing fluids are admitted to the drum.

The nozzle 5 is supported upon a main or conduit 6 through which hot air or other drying medium is admitted to the drum after the washing thereoff A hot-water or steam pressure line 7 is also connected to the nozzle through'a pipe connection 8. A third pipe or conduit 9 is also connected to 'the nozzle through a pipe connection 10 for the purpose of withdrawing trapped fluid retained in the lower portion of the drum as will be described below in detail. It will be noted that the nozzle 5 is of smaller diameter than the filling opening 4 so that drainage of the fluids in drum is permitted.

Referring to Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the nozzle 5 comprises a substantially cylindrical, elongated body portion or casing having a osition. As shown, the drum 3 is inverted threaded connection 15 at its lower end which is received by the conduit 6. The casing of the nozzle is further provided at the lower end with a lug or shoulder 16 to receive the pipe connection 8.

The upper end of the nozzle 5 is closed by means of a cap member 18 which is secured in position on the body portion of the nozzle by means of a threaded member or screw 19 (see Fig. 4). A gasket 20 is interposed between the body portion and the cap 18 to seal the, nozzle at this point. I

The cap 18 is provided with a series of restricted orifices or jet openings 25 through which hot water, steam or a chemical fluid under pressure issues'under considerable velocity to effect the desired cleaning of the oil drum. The detailed construction of the upper end of the nozzle, and the form'and arrangement of the jet openings may be variously modified within the scope of the invention in accordance with the objects to be attained.

. ally from the nozzle so that it is engaged by the head of the oil drum when the drum is slipped over the nozzle, thereby rocking the suction-pipe member 27 about its pivot to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 4 in which the end of the pipe member lies adjacent the lowest portion of the interior of the drum. The purpose of this movable suction member is to permit the withdrawal of the trapped fluid collected in the lowest portion of the tilted drum, as indicated in Fig. 1;

The suction-pipe member 27 is returned to the retracted position upon the removal of the oil drum from the cleaning rack by means of a tension spring 30 or other suitable means. Inasmuch as the pipe member 27 lies entirely within the body portion of the nozzle until the drum has been slipped over the nozzle, there is no difliculty in carrying out this step in the operation and the'liability of derangement or breakage of the pipe member is reduced to a minimum. As indicated, the end portion 32 of the suction-pipe member may be arranged to telescope within the main portion 33 in order that the pipe member will accommodate itself to the surfaces of the drum during the cleaning operation. A compression spring 34 is interposed between the port-ions 32 and 33 of the pipe member to force the portion 32 to the outermost position shown in Fig.4 in which it engages a pin or stop 35.

The body portion of the nozzle 5 is divided into two longitudinal passages 37 and 38 by means of a longitudinal partition or dividing wall 39, as shown in Figs. 5-and 6. The passage 37 communicates with the connecting lug 16 so that hot water, steam or chemical fluids admitted under pressure through the pipe 8 are admitted to the cap member 18 and issue through the jet openings 25. The passage 38 is'in direct communication with the threaded portion 15- of the nozzle and with the opening 26 so that hot air admitted through the conduit 6 issues through the opening 26.

The end of the arm or operating lever 28 for the suction-pipe member is connected by means of a'fiexible connection 40 (see Fig. 1) to the pipe connection 10 and the suction line 9 so that a connection is established between the end of the pipe member 27 and the suction main for the withdrawal of the fluids trapped in the lower portion of the tilted drum.

In opera ion the oil drum is slipped over the nozzle 5, which normally appears as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. When the head of the'drum engages the arm 28 before reaching the position shown in Fig. 1, the arm is depressed, thereby rocking the suction-pipe member 27 to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 4. The inside of the drum may then be thoroughly heated with steam, then washed with a'suitable chemical which attacks and removes the deposit therein and then rinsed with hot water, these fluids being admitted through the pipe connection 8 and passage 37 to the jet openings 25. The greater portion of the above-mentioned fluids drain out at once through the filling opening 4 of the drum. The fluid trapped in the bottom of the drum is siphoned out through the suction pipe member 27 and then the inside of the drum is completely dried with hot air admitted through the main 6 and opening 26. Upon the removal of the drum from the nozzle, the pipe member 27 is retracted inside of the body portion of the nozzle by the spring 30. I

It will be apparent that the several-steps of the cleansing operation may be carried out in any sequence desired without removing the drum from the nozzle until the drum has been thoroughly cleaned of all foreign matter and dried ready for reuse. The improved nozzle therefore eliminates all rehandling of the drums which is necessary with apparatus employing separate nozzles for two or more of the steps of the cleansing operation.

The construction and arrangement of the nozzle described above obviously may be varied in certain res ects without departing from the scope of tiie invention as set forth in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A cleaning nozzle for apparatus of the character described comprising an elongated casing divided into a plurality of longitudinal passages, the casing being provided with suitably disposed orifices communicating with said passages, connections for the admission of fluids to said nozzle at the opposite end thereof from-said orifices, and a movable suction pipe element pivotally disposed within one of the said passages, and adapted to project outwardly therefrom through its orifice.

2. A cleaning nozzle for apparatus of the class described comprising an elongated casing provided with an orifice through its side and communicating with a passage through the casing, and a movable pipe member piv-- otally mounted arranged to retract within said casing or to project outwardly therefrom through said orifice.

3. A cleaning nozzle for apparatus of the 'class described comprising an elongated cas-,

ing provided with an orifice through its side and communicating with a passage through the casing, and a movable pipemember pivotally mounted arranged to retract within said casing or to project outwardly therefrom through said orifice and means for moving said movable member.

4. A cleaning nozzle for apparatus of the character described comprising an elongated casing divided into a plurality of longitudinal passages, the casing being provided with suitably disposed orifices communicating with said passages, and a movable pipe member arranged to retract within one of said passages or to project outwardly therefrom through its orifice.

5. A cleaning nozzle for a drum provided with a filling opening, comprising an elongated casing adapted to be inserted within the filling opening of the drum, a suction pipe member pivoted to said'casing and means comprising an operating arm forming part of said suction pipe member and adapted to be engaged by said drum for moving said pipe member about its pivot during insertion of the nozzle within the filling opening of the drum.

6. A cleaning nozzle for a drum provided with a filling opening, comprising a slender body portion having a jet orifice, a suction pipe member pivoted to said bodv portion and normally retracted within said body portion so that the nozzle may be inserted within the filling opening of the drum and an arm secured to said pipe member and extending to the side of the body portion to be engaged by the wall of the drum to swing the pipe member about its pivot outwardly of said body portion as the body portion is inserted within the drum;

7. A cleaning nozzle for a drum provided with a filling opening, comprising a slender body portion having a passage communicat- 40 ing with a jet orifice adapted to deliver cleansing fluid, another passage communicating with an orifice adapted to deliver hot gas. a suction pipe member pivoted to said bodv portion and normally retracted within said body portion so'that the nozzle may be inserted within the filling opening of the drum and an arm secured to said pipe member and extending to the side of the bodyportion to be engaged by the wall of the drum to swing the pipe member about its pivot outwardly of said body portion as the body portion is inserted within the drum.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 28th day of June',.1928. CHARLES G. CRAMER.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my I hand this 2nd day of J uly. 1928.

CHARLES W. MELONEY. In witness whereof I have hereunto-set my hand this 29t 'day of June, 1928.

- MUNDEL URBAN. 

